grossman



S. GHOSSMAN.

RESILIENT WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED JAN.30. l9l8- RENEWED NOV-21.15MB.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES INVENTOR p '1 5. Grossma Z 97; vi

- x in?! g gfgq ,4 710mm S. GROSSMAN.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED mmao. I9I8- RENEWED Nov. 27. I918.

1 314 43. Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

M 3 SHEETS SHEET 2 *IZ' .4? 7 7 I I vo 6 50 a -'rl l I? r I/l r i 22 J I45 I .35 J4 j) 46\ y /46 49 I i l 44 I 1 l 4/ 5 20 5 W l/I/ Ill/II lWITNESSES nwm 70R ATTORNEYS fl- SAMUEL GROSSMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

' nEsImEnT WHEEL.

Application filed January 30, 1918, Serial No. 214,481.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL GROSSMAN, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of the city of New York, borou h of the Bronx, in the countyof Bronx and State of New York, have invented a new and ImprovedResilient Wheel, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to resilient wheels and has particular referenceto wheels intended for automobiles or similar vehicles.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a wheel having thegeneral appearance of the popular type of automobile wheels havingpneumatic tires, but one which is not, subject to the dangers anddisadvantages inherent in wheels with inflat'able tires.

More definitely stated my improvement comprises a wheel of the type inwhich there are provided inner and outer rim members which are normallyconcentric with the axis of the wheel but between which there isadaptability for relative radial movement, resilient means beingprovided within the spokes or hub to resist such radial movement.

A still further object is to provide an improved type of cushion orbumper serving to resist or help to limit the extent of aforesaid radialmovement relatively between the two rims, or in other words the possibleeccentricity of the outer rim and tire carried thereby with respect tothe axis of the wheel.

With the foregoing and other objects in new theinvention consists in thearrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed,and while the invention is not restricted to the exact details ofconstruction disclosed or suggested herein, still for the purpose ofillustrating a ractical embodiment thereof reference is bad to theaccompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate thesame parts in the several views, and in which- Fi re 1 is a sideelevation of a wheel embodying my improvements, a portion of the wheelbeing broken off and another portion being in central section along aplane perpendicular to the axis.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional detail on the llne 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail view substantially on the broken line 3-3 of Fig, 1looking outward toward the outer Specification of Letters Fatent.

proximately on the line stud 27 projects tering device. This outer endof the spring Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

Renewed November 27, 1918. Serial No. 264,467.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of certain parts ofthe spoke anchorseparated from one another.

Fig. 5 is a similar view of the portion of the outer rim to which thefixed portion of the anchor means is secured.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional detail ap- 66 of Fig. 3; and

Fi 7 and 8 are detail views of slightly modi ed forms of the invention,the views corresponding in nature to the view in Fig. 1.

eferring now to Fig. .1 it will be noted that one important feature ofmy construction comprises a hub 10, a rigid inner rim 11 and a series ofradial tubular spokes 12 preferably formed integral with the hub andinner rim. This hub structure includin the spokes and inner rim is madepreferab y as a unitary casting and suitably cored to provide a hubcavity 13, while each of the spokes is bored at lfl: from its outer endinward to a shoulder 15, a port 16, however, being provided between eachof the bores 14 and the hub cavity whereby all of the spoke borescommunicate with one another through the hub cavity but otherwise thecasting is imperforatewith respect to said cavity and passageways. Theextreme outer end of each tubular spoke comprises an externally threadedboss 17 projecting beyond the outer face of the inner rim. I

The outer rim 18 constituting or representing the tread member isoutwardly spaced from the inner rim, but normally concentric therewith.This outer rim 18 is of a rigid nature and may, like the innerstructure, be made as an integral casting including a series of fixedanchor members 20, one for each spoke, and a pair of inwardly projectinglugs 21.

In the bore 14 of each tubular spoke 12 .is fitted a plunger 22 whichmay be termed a spoke extension. The plunger comprises a plurality ofrelatively endwise movable parts, one of which is a head or piston 24between which and the main portion of the plunger is a threadedconnection 25 which acts when the two parts of the plunger are given arelative rotation to e ongate the plunger. Between the head 24 and theshoulder 15 of the hub is located a cushion member preferably in thenature of a strong coil spring 26 into the outer end of which a from thepiston as a cenmay be supported upon any suitable wear member such as ametal washer 28 around which is fitted a flexible packing member 29subject to the compressibility of the spring or other cushioning meansthat may be employed in connection therewith. The plunger is free toreciprocate in the outer endof the bore 14 and through the boss 17, theouter end of the plunger projecting into proximity to a bearingsurfacej30 on the inner face of the outer rim 1 8, but spaced therefromin practice by virtue of an antifriction member 31 carried in the end ofthe plunger. l

The part of the plunger that projects beyond the boss 17 is providedwith two transverse holes 32 and 33 arranged at. right angles vto eachother, the latter being nearer the outer end of the plunger than theformer. The body of the plunger at the ends of the hole 33 maybe'counterbored or flattened as indicated at 34 forming seats for a pairof springs 35 to be referred to more specifically later.

This type of wheel is adapted particularly for manufacture independentlyof the vehicle and is designed tobe connected to a standard vehicle hubas by means of bolts or rivets to be passed through transverse holes 36formed through the hub parallel to its axis. At any convenient place, asfor instance at 37 a valve 38 is fitted to the hub structure for theadmission of oil or any other desired 35. fluids such for instance as aliquid to fill the hub cavity which serves in connection with thesprings 26 as a cushioning device, or for the admission of. air, or forthe admission of a lubricant. I may state in this connection that theform of the piston or packing means illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 isdesigned especially for employment of a liquid in the hub cavity. Theform in Fig. 7 is designed" especially for the springs 26 to con-.

stitute the spokecushioning means, while in Fig. 8 the form is designedespecially for the filling of the hub cavity with compressed air. Bymaking the ports 16 relatively small the flow of liquid therethrough maybe relatively slow for the purpose of the cushioning action.

In the assemblage of the wheel the plungers or spoke extensions areprojected into the bores 14 against the sprlngs 26 and the caps 39 arepassed over the outer ends of the g plungers and screwed upon the bosses17 forming in connection'with gaskets 40 stuffing boxes, makingpractically fluid tight connections between the plungers and the bosses.These caps 39 furthermore constitute guide means'for the plungers 22that reciprocate therein. With respect especially to the rear ortraction wheels that are subjected to tangential strains there is inprac-' tice considegrable tendency for the plungers to bear abnormallyagainst one side wall of the. hollow spokes rather than the other. Thesecaps 39, therefore, with the gaskets embraced thereby having more orless intimate contact with the plungers serve as considerably more thannuts. In fact inasmuch as the bosses 17 are integral parts of the huband spoke structure the caps 39 and gaskets 40 are primarily packing andguiding means making relatively fluid tight closures for the spokecavities and direct guiding means for the spoke plungers. The inner rimand hub structure with the spoke extensions fitted therein as justdescribed is then brought into position with the outer ends of theplungers adjacent to one edge of the outer rim 18 or with theantifriction rollers 31 in contact with the inner pecially to the anchormeans for connecting Y the outer ends of the plungers to the outer rim.One portion of this means already referred to at 20 ismade integral orfixedrigidly to the inner face of the outer rim. This member comprisesan inwardly projectiIig web parallel to but at one side of the centralplane of the rim and having at its ends a pair of inwardly projectingwings 41 parallel to the axis of the plunger that operates between themand having open ended slots'or notches 42, the rounded inner ends ofwhich slots are coaxial with eachother and the open ends of the slotsbeing directed away from the web or toward that side of the rim fromwhich the hub structure is presumed to be moved into final position withthe end of the spoke extension close to or agalnst the inner face ofsaid web.

43 indicates a detachable web member having end wings 44 correspondingin form to the wings 41 and havin open ended slots 45, the open ends'ofthe s ots, however, being directed in the opposite direction from theslots 42 but so arranged that the inner ends of the slots 45 are-adaptedto be positioned co-axially with the other slots 42 when in assembledposition. The win in Fig. 3 are adapted to lie directly against theouter faces of the wings 41. A pa1r of clips 46 having central holes 47cooperate with the wings 41 and 44 to prevent lateral separation of theweb members of the anchor device in the assembled osition. 48 1nd1-cates a bolt having a hea at one end anda 44 as shown,

nut at the other adapted to pass through the co-axial slots and holes aswell as through the hole 33 in the plunger. The assemblage is effectedas follows: After the plunger is extended as already described totighten the spring 26 one clip 46 is slipped upon the bolt up against orsubstantially against its head and one of the springs 35 1s slipped on'w1ngs44 overlapping the wings 41. The

bolt head during this action will be sufficiently far remote from theplunger to allow the clip adjacent thereto to pass the fixed wing 41.The bolt is then shoved home, the other clip 46 is put in placetherement.

on and the nut tightened and locked by any suitable means. The flanges46 at the ends of the clips overlapping the end portions of the wingsprevent any possible separation of the web members so long as the clipsare held by the bolt from endwise move- It will thus be seen that theend of the spoke as shown in Fig. 3 is limited from lateral movementtoward or from the edges of the outer rim by reason of the webs 20 and43. The'end of the plunger, however, is free within certain limits tomove circumferentially of the wheel against the resistance. set up bythe springs 35. I provide, therefore, that while the effective length ofany spoke or series of spokes that are called upon to resist a forcetending to collapse the wheel may respond to such force against thecushioning means 26 or the fluid means within the hub cavity, this move-.ment to be accompanied with a corresponding elongation of the spoke orspokes directly opposite thereto, it is still expedient for intermediatespokes to partake of a slight tangential or circumferential movementaccordingly, such movement being practically frictionless because of theantifriction rollers 31.

Among the purposes of each pair of lugs 21 is to supporta bumper 49 madepreferably substantially spool shaped and of solid rubber, or itsequivalent, or it may be described as of cylindrical form with the twofaces thereof cut off adjacent to the heads of the adjacent bolts 48. 1preferably provide one bumper for each two spokes between the centers ofwhich the lugs are arranged circumferentially. Each bumper isv providedwith a central metallic bushing 50 through which is projected asupporting bolt 51 hung upon or between the two face plates 52 and 53which constitute closures for the space between the inner and outerrims. Another purpose, therefore, of the lu s 21 is to serve, Inconnection with the b0 ts 51, as supporting or anchorage means for theface plates; The diameter of the bumper is preferably slightly greaterthan the normal space between the inner and outer rims sothat when thebumper is inserted it will be subjected to a slight degree ofcompression. The bumper is adapted to roll slightly around the axis ofthe bolt 51 while the adjacent spokes are moving circumferentially withrespect to the outer rim, but much rotation of the bumper is preventedby contact thereof with the heads of the bolts 48. In practice the outerportion of the bumper may bear less forcibly upon the rim 18 than theinner portion does upon the rim-11, the rotation being mainly around thebolt 51. This bumper serves mainly as a cushioning means to limit theeccentric movement of the outer rim, such movement however beingpositively limited by contact of the flanges 54 against the outer endsof the lugs 21, in the case of emergency. The radial width of the faceplates is such, however, that there shall never be any material space orgapthrough which dust, mud, or the like, mlght enter the space betweenthe rims.

I claim:

1. The combination with the herein described hub and spoke constructionfor wheels consisting of an integral casting providing a hub, a rimconcentric with the hub and a series of tubular spokes extending betweenthe hub and the rim, the outer end of each spoke constituting anexternally screw threaded boss on the outside of the rim, of a series ofspoke elements mounted in the several tubular spokes, and a packing capsurrounding each spoke element and connected to a boss and servingthereby to make a fluid tight seal for the outer end of the adjacenttubular spoke and constituting a guiding means for the spoke elementreciprocating therein.

2. In a resilient wheel, the combination with a hub constructioncomprising an annular central ortion, a rim and a series of hollow spoes connecting the central to secure the outer ends of the extensions (tothe outer rim.

3. In a resilient wheel, the combination with inner and outer rimsspaced from each other and a series of radially extensible spoke membersextending from the in- 4. In a resilient wheel, the combination withinner and outer rims spaced from each other, a series of spoke membersprojecting from the inner rim into proximity to the outer rim, meansacting upon the spoke members tending to hold the two rims concentricbut permitting eccentric movement thereof with relation to each otherunder load, an anchor device for the outer end of each spoke memberlocated in the space between the rims, said anchor device comprising apair of laterally spaced circumferentially arranged web members betweenwhich the end of the spoke member is fitted and snugly held from lateralmovement, means to connect and hold the ends of the web members inpositive fixed spaced relation, a rigid member extending through the endconnections and the end of the spoke member serving to prevent radialmovement of the spoke member, and cushioning devices 40 between the endof the spoke member and said end connections permitting a limited amountof tangential movement of the spoke member with respect to the outer rimand anchor means.

- 5. In a resilient wheel, the combination with inner and outer spacedrims, a'series of spoke extensions leading from the inner rim to theouter rim, means acting upon the spoke extensions tending to keep themextended radially and so hold the two rims concentric, anchor meanswithin the space between the two rims serving to hold the outer ends ofthe spoke extensions to the outer rim but permitting tangential movementof the outer ends thereof with respect to the outer rim, a pair ofannular face plates serving to keep .the space between the two rimsclosed irrespective of the possible relative eccentric movement of therims, and. means locking said face plates rigidly to one of the rims;said locking means including a plurality of transverse pivots andresilient bumper means mounted upon said pivots, each bumper beinglocated between a pair of adjacent anchor means whereby the extent ofrotation of the bumper around its pivot is limited.

SAMUEL eRoss An.

